Flexible shafting.



J. R. PLANK.

FLEXIBLE SHAPTING. APPLICATION FILED 23.13, 1912.

1 36,144, Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

B wolw UNITED STATES PATENT .QFFICE,

J,'. RAYMOND PLANK, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

FLEXIBLE SHAFTING.

T '0" all whom it may concern a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kentand State of liIichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in I Flexible Shafting; and I do hereby declare the "following to be a full, clear,.and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enablel others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

.My invention relates to improvements in" H flexible shafting and its object is to provide a strong and durable structure which is inexpensive to manufacture and reliable in operation, to provide a. device that is easily repaired, and to provide the sa'm'e with various new and useful features hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed outin thee-claims; reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a device-embodying my invention with portions broken away to show the construction; Fig. 2 an enlarged detail of a number of the members forming the shaft proper, Fig. 3 an end elevation of one end of one of the said members; andFig. ,4 the same of the other end of the said member.

Like numbers refer to like parts in all of the figures.

The shaft proper in my device consists of 'a seri'es' of movably connected members or bodied in the sections forming the shaft proper, each section being of the general form of aprol ate spheroid, the middle transverse portion be'ingsolid and each end provided with connecting members wherebya series of the sections are movably connected with each other to permit elongation, con- I of the complete structure as illustrated in Fig. 1. These sections arefformed atone end by providing a transverse perforation as at' t, preferably rectang'ular, the outer portion or end of the section being provided with a transverse bar or connecting member 7 of dimensions, transversely of the axis of the body, sub- Specificatlon of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1912,

Application filed February 13. 1912. Serial No, 677,281.,

I stantially the same as the (listancebetween Be it known that I, J. RAYMOND Pnixx,

the jaws 5 on the other end and in the direction of the said axis of considerably less diameter. The jaws at the other end of each" section are formed with their opposite sides in planes parallel with the axis and spaced apart by substantially the width of the mortise or opening and the jaws are spaced apart from each other slightly more than the width of the connecting bar 7. The thickness of this bar in the direction of the axis is considerably less than the width and the jaws to retain the same have inwardly-projecting shoulders 6 spaced apart only enough ,to admit the connecting member 7 when the'seotions are turned substantially at right angles to each {other and when the section's areturn'ed in line or nearly so the inwardly-projecting shoulders 6 will engage the edges of the bar. 7 and prevent the detachment of the sections and at the same time the sections will be free to swing relative to each other in the planes of the jaws and also have a limited relative longitudinal movement. These jaws 5 at one end are in a plane at right angles to the direction of the mortise at the other end whereby the aws swing alternately in planes at right angles at each coupling between the series of sections Power applied to the first of the series of sections will rotate theeentire series and at the same time each connection between the several members in the series enables the sections to operate successfully when turned out of alinement with each other separating longitudinally sufficient to prevent'binding as the device is bent or curved, this separation being necessary because the close coil cannot contract at the concave side and thus must expand at the convex side in order to bend as illustratedin the drawings.

It will be noted that in this structure, n0 pins or rivets are used; that the sections can be quickly and readily made by suitable forging dies, and provide a strong and reliable structure when in use. They also may be readily made of suitable castings, but I prefersteel forgings as stronger and more satisfactory.

What I claim is 1. A flexible shaft, comprising sections having the general form of a prolate spheroid'having a mortise in one end having opposite walls in planes parallel with the major axis of the section and jaws at the other end having their opposite sides in planes parallel with the said axis and at right angles to the said planes of the mortise, said jaws being adapted to enter the mortise in another section and longitudinally movable therein and also rotative therein about a transverse axis.

2. A flexible shaft, comprising a series of separable sections each having at one end a transverse niort-ise. or opening and at the other end a pair of jaws adapted to enter said opening and inwardly-promoting shoulders on the jaws movable longitudinally within said mortise and adapted to engage the end wall of the opening and prevent def tachment of the members and to pass the same and permit such detachment when the sections are turned substantially at right angles to each other.-v

3. A flexible shaft, comprising a series of separable sections each having at one end a mortise or opening therethrough, the end wall of the opening being of less diameter axially than transversely and jaws at the other end having their opposite sides in planes at right angles to the direction of the said opening, said jaws being spaced apart to permit said end wall to turn freely therein and move longitudinally thereof, and having. inwardly-projecting shoulders spaced apart and adapted to pass said end wall only when the sections are turned substantially at right an les to each other.

4. A exible shaft, comprising a series of separable members each having the general form of a prolatespheroid and provided at one end with a transverse rectangular mor tise or opening having parallel opposite sides parallel with the axis of the section and jaws on the other end of the same having sides in planes parallel with the axis of the section and spaced apart. to enter said mortise and also having inwardly-projecting shoulders to engage the end wall of the mor tise in one position and to pass said wall in another position and also to move longitudinally of the mortise when in. the same.

In testimon whereof I aflix my signature n presence 0 two witnesses. o

J. RAYMOND PLANK.

Witnesses:

HAROLD O. VAN ANTWERP, L. V. MOULTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. i 

